Ever since Liam Neeson’s 2008 film “Taken,” the characters he has played have changed and since then, he has reentered the world of cinema as a tough guy.
This year, he returned to the screen in the role of retired CIA operative Bryan Mills, in “Taken’s” sequel, “Taken 2.” Despite the obviously predictable story line, the second film was a great box office success and made nearly 50 times more money on opening weekend than the previous film.
Although “Taken 2” was bound to be shallow and action-packed, it turned out to be far more ridiculous than expected. This time, the story is set in Istanbul, Turkey, where Mills and his family are on holiday.
During their vacation, Mills and his wife are abducted by the same organization that kidnapped his daughter in the first film. The kidnappers come for them, seeking to avenge their fallen fathers, brothers and sons. But, although the premise seems promising for a sequel, the film didn’t exhibit anything fresh. Rather than focus on trying to make the film different in some way, it ended up being the same as its prequel, only without any of the spark of originality.
Even though the film remains entertaining, the biggest letdown is the absurdity of the situations the characters find themselves in, and the way in which they take charge of said situations.
For instance, when the criminals capture Neeson’s character, they bind his wrists with zip ties to a metal bar, kneeling in a position where he can easily pull himself up. Bearing in mind, they already knew he is a retired CIA agent who had killed many of their men. Even though inconsistencies and absurd scenarios plague the film, it is undoubtedly entertaining.
It can be very hard to take seriously and you may find yourself laughing the whole way through it. But in the end, who doesn’t want to see Liam Neeson beat up some eastern European mobsters to save his family in the backstreets a beautiful European city?